Sequential flasher control switch

ABSTRACT

A &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;hot-wire&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; type, thermally responsive flasher switch having a plurality of sequentially closed switch contacts. A central, extending rigid member, or beam, serves as the fixed terminus of each of the thermally expansible wires and these are arranged to extend in an &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;X&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; configuration with relation to each other with the central beam bisecting the two opposite, acute angles formed between the wires. The thermally expansible wire actuators are each serially connected, electrically, to the wire actuator and switch contacts preceding it in the lighting sequence for the flasher bulbs.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Cleon F. Frey 2,719,893 10/1955 Brady 337/140 (X) Sebastian, Fla. 2,333,125 11/1943 Schmidinger 337/140 (X) [21] Appl. No. 875,867 1,329,756 2/1920 Ewen 337/140 (X) [22] Filed NOV. 12, 1969 FOREIGN PATENTS [451 27 746 3/1921 Denmark 337/140 [73] Assignee International Flasher Corporation Blylmon, P.R. Primary Examiner- Bernard A. Gilheany Assistant Examiner-Dewitt M. Morgan [5 SEQUENTIAL ASHER CONTROL SWITCH Attorney-Woodard, Weikart, Emhardt and Naughton 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U. S. Cl. 337/138, ABSTRACT: A "hobwire" type, thermally responsive flasher 337/140 switch having a plurality of sequentially closed switch conll'u tacts A central extending member or beam serves as 37/50 the fixed terminus of each of the thermally expansible wires [50] Field of Search 337/123, and these are ran ed to extend in an X configuration with 1401 395 relation to each other with the central beam bisecting the two opposite, acute angles formed between the wires. The ther- [56] Rchmm CM mally expansible wire actuators are each serially connected, UNITED STATES PATENTS electrically, to the wire actuator and switch contacts preced- 3,04l,425 6/1962 Bohmer 337/140 (X) ing it in the lighting sequence for the flasher bulbs.

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SEQUENTIAL FLASHER CONTROL SWITCH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various studies into the mechanistic, physiologic processes involved in visual perception of signaling devices indicating traffic hazards establish that awareness of impending road hazards comes about by a series of rapid visual fixes" or stuttering eye movements-of the observer. An intermittent warning signal, such as a flashing light, as distinguished from a steady light or immobile sign, produces much earlier and more repeated fixes bythe driver on the intermittent or flashing signal. The desirability of flashing turn signal indicators, on highway vehicles, and particularly sequential .turn signal indicators, finds scientific support in the data and conclusions resulting from these studies The sequential-type turn signal indicator, where aligned lamps are energized sequentially so as to give emphasis to the impending turn maneuver and its direction, hasrecently come into widespread use.

The switching devices and systems for the sequential indicators are, however, of necessity far more complicated than the simple warp-switch, blinking-flasher-type and their cost has, in general, limited the application of the sequential flasher-type of turn indicator to luxury automobiles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The structure embodying the present invention, because of the use of a central beam as the mounting platform for the switch contact members and for the thermally expansible wires, and the crossing of these wires with relation to the central beam, assures that the calibration of the assembly is not disturbed by distorting forces applied by impact or otherwise, to the outer cover or base of the assembly. Each expansible wire actuator and the set of electrical contacts operated by it are serially connected to the wire and contacts preceding it in the lighting sequence of the flashing lamp bulbs so that proper sequencing is assured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view, showing the cylindrical cover in section, of a flasher switch embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating the opposite side of the flasher switch.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the switch, omitting the cover.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating the positional relation of the thermally expansible wires and the central, rigid beam. 6

'FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the electrical turn-signal circuit into which the flasher switch of the present invention is to be incorporated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring initially to FIGS. l-4, the flasher switch assembly comprises a baseplate 10, which may be enclosed by a cylindrical cover 11. Extending from the outer surface of the baseplate are connecting terminal tabs 12, 13, 14 and 16 (FIG. 2). The tab 13 has ears 13a which clamp to the baseplate a central rigid beam 17, the ears 13a extending over a sidewardly extending flange 170 on the beam 17.

Extending portions 18 project sidewardly from the beam adjacent the baseplate and serve to support two movable contact assemblies, one located on each side of the beam 17. Wrapped around a sidewardly extending tab 180 (FIG. 1) which is integral with and extends from one of the members 18, is a strip of electrical insulating material 19 which underlies a fixed contact carrying member 21 (the fixed contact 22 carried by the member 21 being visible in FIG. 2). Overlying the member 21 is a further layer of electrical insulating material 23 and overlying this layer of insulating material 23 is the base portion of a movable contact carrying blade 24, the blade 24 being cantilever mounted on the tab 18]. At its free end the blade 24 carries a movable contact 26 adapted to cooperate with the fixed contact 27 carried by the extending tab 28d integral with the contact carrying member 28 visible in FIGS. 2 and 4. A wire 29 electrically connects the terminal 12 to the blade 24 and, thus, to the movable contact 26. A wire 31 electrically connects the fixed contact 27 to the terminal 14.

Referring to FIG. 2, the sidewardly extending portion 18b of the opposite member 18 carries the fixed contact carrying member 28, previously mentioned, with an inner layer of electrical insulation 33 serving to electrically insulate the member 28 from both the tab 18b and an overlying portion of a movable contact carrying blade 34 which is identical to theblade-24 previously mentioned. At its free end the cantilever mounted blade 34 carries the movable contact 36 which, as will be evident from FIG. 2, is adapted to cooperate with the fixed contact 22, previously identified. Wire 38- electrically'connects the contact 22 to the terminal 12.

The blades 24 and 34 are formed so as to retain their respective contacts closed and are lifted to the open-contact position shown in FIG. 1 and 2 by means of the electrically conductive, tensioned wires 41 and 42. At their lower ends the wires are passed under the respective blades and are wrapped about sidewardly extending tabs 24a and 34a on the blades. At their upper ends the tensioned wires 41 and 42 are attached to arms 17b and 170, respectively (FIG. 3), which are formed integrally with the beam 17 at its upper end. The ends of the wire are embedded in a ceramic bead 41a and 42a which are located on the upper face of the arms 17b and and a loose coil of the wire 41b and 42b extends from the beads to the ends of auxiliary arms 43 and-44. The tensioned wires 41 and 42 are thus electrically connected to the beam 17 (formed of conductive metal) by means of the wires 41b and 42b. Calibration of the switches, that is, the establishing of the open circuit position of the movable contacts 26 and 36 may be readily accomplished by bending or deforming the tabs 17b and 170 adjacent their junction with the beam 17 so as to regulate the upward force applied to the blade 24 and 34 by the tensioned wires.

The flasher switch described above in detail is incorporated into an electrical circuit shown schematically in FIG. 6. The automobile battery is indicated at 61 and a conventional current operated flasher or warp switch, normally closed, is indicated at 62. This switch is connected to the manually operated control arm 63 of the conventional automobile turn signal 64. Only the left-hand portion of the circuit is described here in detail, it being understood that the right-hand portion of the circuit is a duplicate of that described.

The left-hand contact 66 of the turn signal, as indicated, is connected to the front turn signal lamp 65 of the automobile and it is also connected to the dash mounted pilot lamp 67. The contact 66 is also connected to the initially energized one (68) of the three horizontally aligned lamps at the left rear of the auto. The terminal 66 is also connected to the connecting terminal 12 of the flasher switch assembly described with reference to FIGS.1-5. The terminal 12 of the flasher switch is connected to the switch arm 26 and through the tensioned wire 41 to the flasher switch terminal and thence to ground. The tenninal 14 of the flasher switch is connected to movable contact blade 36 and to the fixed contact 27. The terminal 14 is also connected, through the central one (69) of the aligned lamps at the left rear of the auto, to ground. The movable contact blade 36 is connected electrically through the tensioned wire 42 to the flasher switch terminal 13. The fixed contact 22, with which the contact leg 36 cooperates, is connected to the flasher switch terminal 16 and terminal 16 is connected to ground through the outermost one 71 of the three left-hand, aligned tail lamps of the auto. It will be understood that the flasher switch indicated generally at 72 in FIG. 6 is a duplicate of that just described and its operation of the right-hand automobile tail lamps is identical to that now to be described. In operation, when the manually operated control arm 63 is moved to the left, for example, a circuit is established through the warp switch 62 and through the lamps 66, 67 and 68. The circuit through the warp switch 62 causes it to open and close under the influence of its heating element thus flashing the turn signal lamp 66, the dash mounted pilot lamp 67 and the tail lamp 68. A circuit is also established through the flasher switch terminal 12 and the tensioned wire 41 and through the flasher switch terminal 13 to ground. This heating of the tensioned wire 41 causes it to elongate closing contact 26 against contact 27 and thereby energizing the tail lamp 69. Lamp 69 is not energized until contacts 26 and 27 are closed because the resistances of wires 41 and 42 are such that the tail lamps, such as lamp 69, will not be lit when in series with one or both of the wires. Closure of contacts 26 and 27- also establishes a circuit through the tensioned wire 42, causing it to elongate and closing contacts 36 and 22. Closure of contacts 36 and 22 energized the outermost tail lamp 71. Response of the tensioned wires 41 and 42 is relatively rapid so that as the flasher switch 62 reopens and starts another cycle the switch contacts 26-27 and 36-22 will also reopen and the closing cycle will be repeated upon the next closure of the flasher switch 62, The three aligned tail lamps will thus be energized in sequence with each energization of the circuit through the turn signal 64.

As will be evident from FIG. the tensioned wires 41 and 42 are relatively positioned in an X-configuration with the axis of the stationary beam 17 substantially bisecting one pair of the opposite angles formed by the wires. This arrangement makes the structure extremely stable and resistant to impact applied to the exterior casing or housing 11. Since both the fixed and movable contact are all carried by the central beam, and are not mounted directly on the baseplate 10, any bending or distortion of the central beam does not cause the position or relationship of the movable and fixed contacts to change to any substantial degree. That is, bending of the terminals 12, l6, 14 or 13 or distortion of the base member does not ad versely affect the operation of the switch contacts and the calibration of the device. The attachment of the wires 41 and 42 to the arms 17b and 17c provide a convenient means for calibrating the switch operation by merely bending the arms or tabs 17b and 17c to obtain the desired switch contact spacing at calibration temperature.

The manufacturing and calibration economies inherent in the construction described and the ability to withstand relatively rough treatment in transport, storage and installation are primary features of the device. The cost savings involved in the arrangement permit the use of the sequential flashing feature on automobiles other than the luxury type.

lclaim:

1. In a flasher switch of the type having a tensioned means connected to a movable contact assembly for holding the contact assembly in open-circuit position at one temperature but elongating by thermal expansion to permit thecontact assembly to move to closed-circuit position at an elevated temperature, wherein the improvement comprises: a rigid rectilinear beam extending outwardly fromone surface of a baseplate, first and second movable contact assemblies supported on said beam adjacent its juncture with said baseplate surface, said contact assemblies being disposed on opposite sides of said beam, an arm extending sidewardly from each of the said opposite sides of said beam adjacent its free end, the

tensioned means including a first electrically conductive tensioned wire anchored to one of said arms and extending into operating relation with that one of the movable contact assemblies on the opposite side of said beam from said one arm, a second electrically conductive tensioned wire anchored to the other of said arms and extending into operating relation with that moveable contact assembly on the opposite side of said beam from said other arm, whereby said tensioned wires are relatively positioned in an X-configuration with the axis of the beam substantially bisecting one pair of the opposite angles formed by the wires.

2. A flasher switch as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said moveable contact assemblies includes a cantilever mounted blade carrying a movable contact at its free end and engageable with an adjacent fixed contact, and the thermally expansible tensioned wire for operating the contact assembly is attached to said blade intermediate its ends.

3. A flasher switch as claimed in claim 1 in which said second tensioned wire is electrically connected in series with the moveable contact assembly operated by said first tensioned wire.

4. A flasher switch as claimed in claim 1 in which the angle between each of said arms and said rigid beam may be altered by bending the arm to thereby calibrate the flasher switch. 

1. In a flasher switch of the type having a tensioned means connected to a movable contact assembly for holding the contact assembly in open-circuit position at one temperature but elongating by thermal expansion to permit the contact assembly to move to closed-circuit position at an elevated temperature, wherein the improvement comprises: a rigid rectilinear beam extending outwardly from one surface of a baseplate, first and second movable contact assemblies supported on said beam adjacent its juncture with said baseplate surface, said contact assemblies being disposed on opposite sides of said beam, an arm extending sidewardly from each of the said opposite sides of said beam adjacent its free end, the tensioned means including a first electrically conductive tensioned wire anchored to one of said arms and extending into operating relation with that one of the movable contact assemblies on the opposite side of said beam from said one arm, a second electrically conductive tensioned wire anchored to the other of said arms and extending into operating relation with that moveable contact assembly on the opposite side of said beam from said other arm, whereby said tensioned wires are relatively positioned in an X-configuration with the axis of the beam substantially bisecting one pair of the opposite angles formed by the wires.
 2. A flasher switch as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said moveable contact assemblies includes a cantilever mounted blade carrying a movable contact at its free end and engageable with an adjacent fixed contact, and the thermally expansible tensioned wire for operating the contact assembly is attached to said blade intermediate its ends.
 3. A flasher switch as claimed in claim 1 in which said second tensioned wire is electrically connected in series with the moveable contact assembly operated by said first tensioned wire.
 4. A flasher switch as claimed in claim 1 in which the angle between each of said arms and said rigid beam may be altered by bending the arm to thereby calibrate the flasher switch. 